Its funny the contrasting futures led. One nation sat back and cashed in on its 'success' the other kept their head down and worked on continuing their improving results.We were always going to have a downturn after 06 plus the game back home was still in turmoil so it was not as if we could focus on youth in the A-league.
Blind freddy could see we needed to rebuild after 06 and stop clinging to what has been.
In 06, we played like australians, went out to win no matter who we played. Scoring was always the main focus. Since then it seems we are scared of everyone we play and pray we have get a dodgy goal in the first half and then cling to the lead for the rest of the match. PATHETIC
After Hiddink there should have been a long term plan to rebuild the socceroos.
Seriously when is the last time you have seen a socceroo back himself and take on a defender without fear of losing the ball? Or a goal that come as a result of 15 precise passes? We have those players that can do this but sadly we only select players from the petro leagues.
I honestly think the top A-league sides would bury the socceroos into the ground
IMO one nation took their form at that stage for granted while the other said "we can do better, why stop now?"
As I have said a half of me always wants Australia to win but the other half of me wants Japan to pump us to hopefully wake us up to the fact we are living in a fantasy thinking we can get away with selecting squads made up of players well past their prime and others who are so clearly out of match fitness some games look like a pre-season training session.